Police have identified Ki Yun Jo as the 54-year-old man who was killed in a hit and run at a Thorsby gas station Friday.

Jo, who owned the Fas Gas, was trying to stop or catch the attention of a driver who drove away without paying for gas around 3:45 p.m., said the RCMP.

Mounties are searching for a suspect and a white 2006 Ford cube van that was stolen around 2 p.m. Friday in Spruce Grove, said a Sunday news release. It was then driven to Thorsby, about 70 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.

“My father chased and tried to stop the truck then got ran over,” said a Saturday Facebook post from SungHyun Jo. “Such a disaster happened to a great father who sacrificed his life and worked so hard to take care of his family.”

The Facebook post urges the public to help and catch the driver responsible.

“We miss you so much dad … thank you for being such a great father,” the post ends. “You taught and showed me what a good father looks like and I will carry it in me and continue your journey.

“Don’t worry about mom and sister … Love you so so much.”Suspect vehicle in Thorsby hit and run (Oct. 6 2017). Supplied by police SUPPLIED

Speaking in the Alberta legislature rotunda on Sunday, Alberta Minister of Labour Christina Gray repeatedly stated the government will be bringing forward “measures” to protect workers but stopped short of promising legislation for the fall session.

“This situation is tragic. Every Albertan should be able to come home safely at the end of a work day,” Gray said. “I’ve been working with industry, with labour groups, with victims, with other stakeholders to talk about ways to keep fuel and convenience store attendants and workers safe. Those discussions just wrapped in September and I will be bringing forward measures to better protect these workers.”

At the news conference, the minister was told the family was thinking of installing a pre-pay system earlier, but the cost was a barrier. When asked if there would be incentives for gas stations to introduce pre-pay systems, pay-at-the-pump technology or violence prevention initiatives, Gray said those were items they heard from stakeholders in their consultations.

When asked about the two-year length of the consultation period, Gray repeated that worker safety has been a “top priority.”

“I will be bringing forward measures this fall to address these concerns and to make sure that these incidences are prevented in the future,” Gray said.

While Gray said the government has looked to other jurisdictions, spoke to large retailers and smaller businesses, she did not specify measures that she would take as a result of the consultation.

Gray said she will speak to the details “very soon” but could not be more specific.

“My heart is broken for that family, for the friends, the neighbours and the community,” Gray said.

Occupational Health and Safety has two years minus a day in order to investigate work place deaths.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Thorsby/Breton RCMP at 780-789-3951. An anonymous tip can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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